Helpful Tips from Professional Bakersfield DJs

Wedding DJ: The Best Job in the WorldWedding How To / Instructional

Okay, so maybe it’s not the best job in the world but for me, it’s pretty close. I mean how many jobs out there pay you for listening to music and having a good time. If anybody were to tell you that was all to being a DJ though, they’d be dead wrong. As with almost everything, there are some pros and cons. Being a DJ isn’t for everyone. Sure, lots of people profess a love for music and that’s essential to being a good DJ but it’s not the only thing. A DJ is more than just a guy who plays music.

First and foremost a DJ is an entertainer. To be a DJ you have to be comfortable going in front of a crowd of people and performing. This is especially true if you are a wedding DJ. You might get away with hiding in a booth at a dark and dank nightclub but at a wedding reception the DJ has a hand in almost everything and is constantly in the spot light. The pressure is on the DJ to make sure everything goes smoothly and that the crowd and, more importantly, the Bride has a great time.

Second, a wedding DJ has to be a smart business person and a friendly people person. People think a DJ just work on the weekends and that is just totally not true. A good DJ is working constantly on demo CD’s, making business calls, practicing their mic skills, creating brochures, maintaining a web site and scheduling appointments and consultations. From creating performance contracts to writing out receipts, there is a lot more paperwork involved than most people would realize. A wedding DJ also has to have great customer service and be willing to go above and beyond to ensure your event is a success. If your idea of being a DJ is just plugging in your iPod to your stereo while you attack the buffet table then being a wedding DJ is not for you.

That brings me to another aspect of being a DJ. A DJ is also a pro sound technician. A DJ has to be able to understand wiring, watts, volts and more to be able to provide quality sound for your event. He also has to have professional equipment. An iPod isn’t going to cut it for any reputable DJ. Nowadays most DJ’s have laptops and complex DJ’ing software and thousands of dollars worth of equipment. Beware any DJ’s that say their home stereo system is good enough for your event. Trust me, it isn’t. I use professional JBL speakers and buy professional DJ lighting products from reputed DJ brands like Chauvet and American DJ and any DJ you are considering to hire should be more than happy to brag about his equipment.

Once you get past all of that though being a wedding DJ is a blast. A wedding DJ gets to take part in a special, once in a lifetime event, reserved for family members and close friends. I always get the “Awww” feeling in my chest every time I announce the first dance and watch the couple dance slowly on stage, gazing lovingly in each other’s eyes. And watching as everybody’s eyes well up during the father-daughter dance is always a special moment to me. The best part of the night is when all the formal events are done and I can finally open up the dance floor and the Bride & Groom can finally cut loose and celebrate, all their hard work, planning and stress done with.So yeah, being a wedding DJ is a lot of hard work but in the end it’s also highly rewarding and a lot of fun. It takes a lot of preparation and work before you even unload your gear at the venue but once you begin and see the smiling faces and know everybody’s having a good time it’s totally worth it. Plus you get paid to listen to music and have a great time!